Continental takes blame for Concorde crash

The American carrier Continental has been partly blamed for the Concorde crash that claimed 113 lives in Paris four years ago – along with a weakness in the design of the legendary supersonic jet. According to The Independent newspaper, the provisional findings of a criminal investigation could mean legal action against Continental’s staff, with lawyers for the victims of the crash saying Continental officials should be placed under official investigation. The newspaper, reporting from the investigation in Paris, states that the metal strip that caused the crash by puncturing a tyre, parts of which then penetrated a wing and caused a fire in a fuel tank. The public prosecutor is quoted as saying: “The technical investigation has shown a direct causal link between the rupture of the tyre on the left side and its running over the metal strip, made of titanium alloy.” The report added that Concorde’s wings were known to have been vulnerable to bursting tyres since 1979, but that nothing had been done to correct the problem. Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd